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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. firm — a company
  7. row — to paddle
  8. firm — steady
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. roll — a cake
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. can — a tin
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. can — a tin
  18. bear — the animal
  19. firm — decided
  20. roll — a list
  21. can — to be able to
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. row — a line
  24. bat — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com